1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to the field of interconnect for integrated circuits and memory systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Integrated circuits have implemented a variety of different interconnects. For example, shared busses, point to point interconnect, packet-based interconnect, serial interconnect, etc. have been implemented in various integrated circuits. Frequently, the interconnect used between integrated circuits (e.g. processors) has been proprietary. Proprietary interconnect can be optimized for the design, the expected workload, etc. However, using a proprietary interconnect often means that the interface circuitry must be custom designed for each integrated circuit.
Interfaces to commodity parts such as memory modules, on the other hand, are typically standardized. Such standard interconnects permit multiple vendors to design compatible parts. A relatively large supply of the commodity parts may thus be ensured, and competition among the vendors may lead to lower prices. While standard interfaces are often more difficult to change, as agreement among many different companies may be needed, the standard interfaces are typically well described and characterized. Additionally, design leverage may be possible, reusing a circuit design for the standard interface from a previous design.